Back with the next chapter you guys. Once again it's short. Sorry, but it might be like this for a while since I don't have a lot of time to write a long chapter. This brain of mine really wants to write new stories for LL, but I refuse to start another one when this one is not finished yet. Just for future reference which would you more prefer a gender bend with Umi x Eli or Umi x Maki SOLDIER GAME FTW! (Yes, I enjoy writing gendbend stories, don't get me wrong though, yuri all the way!) I'm really glad that you all like that last chapter, although I didn't think it was that intense (maybe I'm just being hard on myself, I tend to do that a lot). Anyways thanks for reading, enjoy!
-Zero
Ch. 7 To the Beach
"Why are you crying?" The curious boy asked the little girl as she wiped away her tears.
"Because you're leaving." More tears rolled down from her eyes, but they were suddenly wiped away by the boy.
"Don't cry..." He scrunched his eyebrows in a cute way making the girl blush from his touch. He closed his eyes long and hard until they suddenly popped opened with an idea.
"How about this, let make a promise." He smiled brightly at the girl, causing her tears to stop.
"A promise?" She tilted her head and gave the boy a confused look. Before she could say anything else he grabbed her pinky finger with his.
"I know we'll meet again! So, let's make a pinky promise to make it happen!"
"Okay."
The two children smiled at each other. With their pinkies intertwined the promise was made. Little did they know that from that moment on fate had begun taking its course.
*Sigh~* The ginger haired man sighed (more like groaned) loudly and rested his chin on the table.
"I can't take it anymore~." He stretched his arms across the table and started banging them against it.
"I need a break~." Hotaka whined for the fifth time as pencils rolled off the table.
"Hotaka-kun..." Kotori was worried for her childhood friend. In fact, everyone else was worried for him too. Sweat tickled down their face as the atmosphere of the room quickly changed.
A certain bluenette was emitting such a dark aura that even Masaki and Eiichi refused to approach him. You could almost hear his vein popping because of the ginger.
"Kousaka-san...how many times must I tell you not to do that to my table...especially when everyone is trying to study..." Just like his aura, Ushio's voice was just as cold. He was getting really close to drawing the last straw. "You're holding everyone back if you keep acting like this."
"But I really can't take it anymore~." Hotaka complained once more.
Ushio's mechanical pencil snapped into half. Nico scooted a little closer to Masaki from the action. Whatever was going to happen to the ginger she didn't care as long as she was not involved with the dangerous man.
"Do something about this?" Nico hissed at the redhead.
"Like what? If you have any good ideas please do share with the rest of us." Masaki hissed the words back at her.
"Either way we can't let this go on...or there will be casualties." Eiichi jumped into the conversation bring everyone to huddle in together.
"We wouldn't be in this situation if it weren't for you three for having such bad grades." Amethyst eyes made way back to the small brunette girl beside him.
"You make it sound like it's solely my fault." Ruby eyes glared at amethyst ones.
"Now now, Masaki-kun did mention that it was you three." Nozomi interjected their argument. "If you, Hotaka-kun, and Rin-chan had done better we wouldn't have to be so scared of Ushio-kun."
"I'm sorry nya~." Rin apologized once again.
"Don't worry Rin-chan. I'll be there to help you!" Haruto patted the oranges haired girl, earning a hug from the smaller girl.
"Thank you Kayo-chin!"
Another pencil could be heard in the background snapping. They needed to come up with something and quick too.
"Ushio-kun...I'm getting sort of tired myself. Maybe we should all take a break this time. Okay?" Kotori used her sweet voice as she tried to calm the monster inside of the blue haired man.
"You go Kotori!" Everyone internally cheered for her. They knew only she was able convince the bluenette even in the most difficult situations.
"If you keep spoiling him like that he won't be able to live without you Kotori."
"Then I'll just marry her." Hotaka nonchalantly blurted out the statement making the whole room really quite. Kotori's face reddens while the pencil in Ushio hand fell on the floor. The rest of the group wasn't really sure what to say.
"I..I think we should take a break then." Ushio broke the awkward silence by standing up and stretching his body. His face was slightly pink from Hotaka's statement, but was able to hide it from the others...except for one. Emerald eyes followed the bluenette as he made his way to the kitchen.
A month had finally passed since the bomb incident and they were now studying for exams. Summer break was just around the corner. They were currently having a study session at Ushio's house because Hotaka and the others had insisted. (Well, let's just say their true motive was to take a peek into the lives of Ushio and Kotori living together.)
"Ah! Rin-chan, that's not fair! You already had a piece."
"Nya~ Hotaka-kun is too slow~."
"Hey~ Eiichi-kun, do you want some chocolate?"
"N-Nozomi! I can do it myself you know!"
"We need to go on a date...along with my siblings."
"I refuse."
"What was that?!"
"Come on you two don't fight."
"Stay out of it Haruto!" The couple shouted at him simultaneously.
Ushio rubbed the temple of his head. Just when he thought he could finally relax a whole bunch of people ended up coming to his house to play. The blue haired male sighed. This study session was going nowhere. Exams are going to start in two days; at this rate those three were going to fail their tests.
"Ushio-kun, are you okay?" Kotori appeared at the kitchen entrance. Her face filled with concern made his splitting headache disappear.
"I'm fine. Just needed some space that's all." He gave her his usual gentle smile. "Let's head back."
When they returned back to the room Ushio noticed that the group had become more quite. Their silence made the bluenette feel uncomfortable and suspicious. That's when he noticed a mess of junk food and tea spilled all over his notes, table, and floor.
"..." Dead silence continued to fill the room. That was, until they heard the cracking of Ushio's knuckles.
"Care to explain what happened here while I was gone for less than five minutes..." The smile on his darkened face sent shivers down all their spines. All hell was going to break loose.
"Um-well...we just got a little out of hand...that's all..." The rest of the group nodded at Hotaka's words to help support them.
"I hope you're prepared for an intense study session..." Ushio's smile continued to stay on his face that had Masaki and Eiichi really worried. "because we will be having no more breaks until the three of you get at least eighty percent of my questions right."
Their begs for mercy would no longer reach the ears of the navy haired man. He was far from playing nice. Those who didn't really need to have the study session pitied Hotaka, Rin, and Nico. The rest of the day was going to be a long one.
"W-w-we're finally done..." Nico let out a sigh of relief. She was mentally and physically drained from Nozomi's method of keeping her on track. She didn't mind it as much as having Ushio as her tutor. Nico shivered at the thought and pitied Rin and Hotaka.
"You're a demon!"
"You're not human!"
Hotaka and Rin hugged each other while in tears.
"You wouldn't be such a position if you do well in your classes. Besides, I never said I was a saint anyways." Ushio sent a glare at the two. After hours of cramming the information into their heads Ushio was finally able to have a real break.
"At least you were both able to make it out alive." Haruto patted Rin's head and gave the two a comforting smile.
"Kayochin~!" The orange haired girl threw herself on the sandy brown haired boy.
"You two never change." Nico eyed her juniors.
"Nico-chan is just getting old that's all nya." Rin made a cat-like smile at the older girl.
"Why you little-"
"Can't catch me nya~!"
"Come on you two, we don't want Ushio to get mad again." The blonde had gotten the two to stop running around when he mentioned the blunette's name. Everyone was waiting for the dark blue haired man to scold them, but he was nowhere to be seen.
The group looked at each other with a puzzled look. Where did he go? They wondered if he left to get away from them with Kotori, but she was still there with them in the living room. Making way around the rest of the house they noticed how neat everything was. There was not a single soul upstairs (they even checked his room, which Hotaka and Rin wanted to raid but was stopped by Masaki).Just when they were about to call his phone, Ushio's voice was heard from outside. He must have slipped out from the sliding doors of the living room when they weren't paying attention.
They found him talking to one of his neighbors. It was an elderly lady along with a a girl around a high school senior's age. From the looks of it, Ushio seemed to be apologizing.
"I'm sorry if we were being very loud today." The dark blue bundle of hair bowed down to the two ladies.
"It's fine. It's nice to hear young ones being rowdy around here. I can still remember when Nana-chan used to be as loud." The old woman chuckled.
"Grandma!" The younger girl blushed at the words. "Please don't go telling Ushio-san storied of me when I was little!"
Ushio was now chuckling along with the girl's grandmother. The group of friends continued to peek around the corner of the house as the conversation continued.
"I'm sure Nana was very cute when she was little." She blushed at his words and pouted.
"Mou~ Grandma! Ushio-san! Stop teasing me!" Nana turned around and stomped into her house, leaving the other two to continue the small chat.
"That child is just being shy, please don't take it personally." The older woman gave Ushio a warm smile.
"Of course. Iki-san and Nana are always kind to me. There's no way I would take it personally." His words caused the grandmother to chuckle some more.
"I have to say, Ushio-kun, you have changed over the past month."
"Really?" He raised his eyebrows in surprise from her statement.
"It must be because you're starting to have more fun with your friends...and maybe even because of Kotori-chan."
Iki-san's words made the boy blush, but even more so when Kotori's name was mentioned. Mainly because no matter how many time he had told the woman that they were just friends she would always tease them anyways.
"Oh my, I should be getting dinner ready soon. It's getting late. Ushio-kun, have a nice day."
"Yes, you to Iki-san."
He smiled at the older lady as she walked away. It has been two years since he had moved into the neighborhood. He was warmly welcomed by the Iki family when that happened, and ever since have become somewhat close with them.
"So...how long are all of you going to keep hiding?"
They all jumped. Slowly they walked out from behind the corner. Awkward smiles were plastered on their faces as the bluenette gave them a blank stare.
"When did you notice we were there?" Nico mumbled under breath.
"From the very beginning."
"Do you have eyes on the back of your head or something?" Hotaka's eyes twitched from his response.
"Of course."
"Really nya?!" Rin had a shocked expression on her face while the other deadpanned.
*Growl~*
Everyone looked over at the ginger as he covered his stomach.
"Ahaha...I must be getting hungry after all of that studying."
"Is curry alright?" Ushio had walked past everyone and was already halfway inside the doorway.
"Eh?" Hotaka was taken aback from the question.
"Unless you all plan to eat when you get back home..." Ushio awkwardly rubbed the back of his head and averted his face from the others.
"My~ is Ushio-kun asking us to stay for dinner?" Nozomi and the others were also surprised. After what had happened this whole day, you would think he'd want them out of his house.
"I'm sure Kotori would have asked anyways." He gave them a sheepish smile.
"Alright!" Hotaka cheered.
"But, you'll all be helping. No one Is going to get food if they don't help."
"Eh~"
Everyone laughed at Hotaka's reaction and went inside to prepare for their first dinner together.
*Sigh~* "I'm so full." The ginger rubbed his belly as he let out a sigh of satisfaction. Haruto and Masaki were doing the dished due to the fact that they lost at rock, paper, scissors.
"Exams are in two days, you sure know how to take it easy when your grades are so poor Hotaka." The blonde eyed the ginger that was relaxing beside of him.
"I'll be fine, especially after all of that studying."
"Oh~ so how confident are you if you were to take the test now." Hotaka sweated at the comment that Ushio made.
"Well..."
"How about this?" All attention turned towards Nozomi. Masaki and Haruto had just walked back into the living room after finishing the dishes. "If Hotaka-kun, Rin-chan, and Nicochii can all pass their tests with at least a seventy or higher they can choose where we go for the summer."
"I think that's fair for them." Eiichi nodded in approval along with Haruto and Kotori.
"I don't care." Masaki replied as if he was uninterested.
"I don't have a problem with that." Ushio concluded.
"Alight then, its set." Nozomi smiled.
Finals were finally over and results were in. The usual group sat at a table and hovered over the three who were to decide on their summer plans.
"So, show us your results." Ushio looked at the three.
They were unusually quiet which kind of made the rest worried.
"81 nya~!" Rin smile brightly as she was proud of her score.
"Hmph, behold! 83!" Nico boasted her score in front of the others.
"..." Hotaka's words came in a mumble.
"What?" Masaki brought himself closer to hear the ginger.
"90~!" The sudden shout startled the redhead causing him to fall onto the floor. Everyone was surprised the most with his results (although Masaki was more annoyed).
"A promise is a promise then." Ushio smile at the trio as they celebrated with their other friends.
"Ushio-kun is proud of them." Emerald eyes caught the attention of the bluenette.
"Eh?"
"The reason you made such difficult practice questions for them was because you knew the real questions on the exam wouldn't be as hard, am I wrong?" Nozomi smiled.
"Beats me." Ushio shrugged his shoulders.
"We've decided!" All heads turned towards the three. "We're gonna go to the beach!"
"Then I know a good place where we can stay." Eiichi interjected. "Masaki."
"Yeah yeah. That place should be big enough for all of us." The red haired man waved off the older blonde.
"What are you guys talking about?" Kotori and some of the others were puzzled.
"Well...due to certain circumstances we can't have you three at your usual beach houses...so we'll use the one we have. Well, to be more exact, one that Masaki owns." Eiichi explained to Nozomi and the others.
"Whoa~ you own a beach house too Masaki?" Blue eyes glittered with excitement. "This is going to be more fun than usual."
"It's a vacation home, not a beach house. And Eiichi and Ushio also helped pay for it...they just decided to let it be under my name that's all." Masaki slightly back away from Hotaka's closing face. He didn't like it when the ginger got really close to him.
"Hmph, we'll just have to see how good this vacation home is then." Nico scoffed which irritated her (IN ITALICS) boyfriend. (END ITALICS)
"Do you mind if we join?" They all turned to the male voice.
"Eren!" Ushio and his brothers were surprised to see their friend after what had happened a month ago.
"What are you doing here?" The blonde questioned.
"And by we, you mean you and Anju right?" Masaki asked.
"Well..." Eren averted his eyes from his friends.
"USHIO-KUN~! EIICHI-SAN~! MASAKI-KUN~!"
The bluenette froze from the call of his name. There was only one person who sounded like that when calling his name.
Now I remember why meeting Kousaka-san made me feel so uneasy. How could I have forgotten? Their personalities are so similar. Ushio was bracing himself for the worst.
And just like predicted as Ushio was getting ready to stand up an incoming force threw itself on him. Spinning around the girl wrapped her arms around his neck. Her evergreen eyes glitter with in the sun as her hair shined from its rays.
"It's been awhile." She gave Ushio a cheeky smile. Kotori and the others (excluding Eren, Masaki, and Eiichi) were surprised how the girl made such an entrance.
"...Tsubasa...how many times must I tell you to stop doing this?"
I'm really starting to think we need to take Ushio and teach him some anger management, or…maybe not. Well, there you have it; I was able to throw in our last character. Next chapter will be their summer vacation day (expect some drama…I guess). Reviews and comments please.
Until Next Time…